TITLE: A Humiliating Decision
SETTING: End of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
RATING: PG (for two very mild swear words.)
GENRE: General (slightly thoughtful)
ARCHIVE: Yes please, contact though - merlyn_dawson@hotmail.com
DISCLAIMER: Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, Slytherin, Gryffindor and all other Harry Potter related references are all a creation of J.K Rowling © 2002. Infringement of copyright acknowledged. No money is being made from this work of fan fiction and accepts all responsibility for being in the public domain. Idea is credited to the HpforGrownups Mailing List - http://www.hpfgu.org.uk/

A Humiliating Decision

Severus Snape, head of Slytherin House and Potion's master, watched the houses go cheering, grumbling and shouting out of the Great Hall, and for the fist time that evening he allowed himself to slump back in his chair, and to feel every bit as humiliated as he felt. Slytherin had been close to winning the House Cup again, but this time Dumbledore had snatched away their victory and handed it to some Gryffindor's. He stared aimlessly into a half-drunk goblet of wine before setting it down in front of him. Minerva McGonagall stopped before leaving with the rest of the staff, returned to her seat next to Snape and sat down next to him for a second time.

"Some evening." She said, Snape grunted in reply and played absently with a spoon, twisting it round in his hand and attempting to balance it one it's round end. "Are you alright?"

"Feel humiliated." He murmured.

"Oh."

"I mean, yes, he is the Headmaster, but he... but he didn't have the right to humiliate me and my Slytherin's in front of the school like that!" He threw the spoon onto a plate angrily and turned in his seat to look at McGonagall, his face a mixture of barely controlled anger, humiliation and confusing. "He was wrong to public humiliate us, acting as though they had won the cup and then snatching it away like that, in public! I'm in a hard position, I've got to keep those kids away from Voldemort's side, and that Muggle borne are equal to the pure bloods. Dumbledore, by deciding to take away the cup, something they believe the have worked quite hard for, and by giving the cup to Gryffindor as a reward to some Muggles," he looked at McGonagall, "sorry."

"It's alright, carry on." She said kindly.

"Giving it as an award to some Muggles will humiliate them and make them resent the Gryffindor's, where there is a higher proportion of Muggles than the other houses. I then have to start all over again trying to get them to believe that Muggles have as much right to be in the magic world as them. The kids are at great risk from their parents pressures in wanting them to join with Voldemort, or follow his ideas, and if they are made to resent Muggles then they are more likely to follow that path." He sighed, "I'm sorry, but I feel as though Dumbledore has just turned round and told me I am shite at my job." He went back to staring at the tablecloth whilst McGonagall regarded him for a moment.

After a moment of silence, she voiced something she had known for a while. "You really care about those kids don't you?"

Snape nodded without looking at her, it was a hard thing to admit. "I just want to stop them going down the same path I went down."

"If it's any consolation, I don't think Albus acted correctly, I think he got carried away, he wouldn't deliberately humiliate you."

He shrugged, "maybe."

She placed her hand on his arm, "and Albus thinks you are doing one hell of a job. Now, go and listen to your Slytherin's bitch and moan, but try and calm them down."

"Are they causing a riot?"

"Well, not yet, but I bet they will be in the common room, and it won't go down well if they found out their head of house was sitting at the staff table feeling sorry for himself and confiding his feelings in the head of Gryffindor!"

Snape gave a slight laugh, "you're right." He drained the rest of his wine, "thanks."

"You're welcome."

A/N: Hope you like, based on some of the discussion about the end of PS/SS which is currently circulating on the HpforGrownups Discussion list - one I highly recommend you joining if you enjoy very thoughtful and in-depth discussion of Harry Potter books in an mainly adult environment.

Readers of 'Harry Potter and the Search for the Meaning of Life at Hogwarts' - chapter four is on it's way soon!